Doug Ford calls for election to solve City Hall woes

Rob Ford’s brother is coming to the defence of the embattled mayor yet again, saying the best way to move past the current mess entangling City Hall is to go to the polls.

Coun. Doug Ford made the comments Thursday ahead of city council budget meeting – and all while the mayor waits for answers on a very uncertain political future.

"There's going to be one mayor and that's him right over there, OK?" the elder Ford said. "And in my opinion we want to go to the polls -- very simple, let the people decide."

The mayor has been working with his legal team to plan an appeal in the wake of a devastating ruling Monday that ordered him out of office after he was found guilty of violating a municipal conflict-of-interest law. It takes effect in less than two weeks unless Ford can get it overturned.

Ford's legal team submitted a legal filing Wednesday arguing for Justice Charles Hackland's decision to be put on hold, which would effectively allow Ford to keep his job until an appeal decision is issued.

"It cannot be right that the democratic process and the democratic will should be denied for a period of another few months while the appeal is being heard and decided," the court submission stated.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ford suggested earlier this week that he’d be the first name on the ticket if and when a byelection to fill his seat is called – a claim that may not be legally possible. The judge's decision stated Ford was banned from running for office for the "current term" which many interpret to mean that Ford can't run until 2014, when the next municipal election is scheduled.

If that is the case, his brother may already have support building in his corner. Both Coun. Doug Holyday and Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti said this week that they would consider supporting a Doug Ford mayoral byelection if the current mayor is not allowed to run.

Coun. Adam Vaughan, however, said Torontonians voting in a potential byelection should cast their ballots based on more than just a last name.

"The real issue for Torontonians is not whether it's this candidate or that candidate -- it's the direction they want the city to go in," he said. "And it doesn't need to be a particular personaility, it needs to be a very particular set of ideas that moves Toronto forward."

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According to reports, the judge who found Ford in violation of municipal conflict of interest laws earlier this week has clarified his statement, saying the mayor is free to run in a potential byelection.